Homemade Protein Bars (homemade Keto and Low-carb Quest bars)

My version of homemade protein bars originates from the idea of making my own homemade Quest bars. Why?

I discovered the Quest bars and their deliciousness when I was at the beginning of my keto journey. While I thought they were a perfect snack for busy people, I also realized it wasn’t the cheapest snack out there. Later on, I started thinking these bars were not much more than highly processed food, and that one should not consume too many of them, no matter how tasty. The recommended limit is 2 bars a day, but I think there’s so much real food out there that, even for an extremely busy person, 2 bars a week should be enough.

While on a ketogenic diet, even one Quest bar at a time can be a bit too much protein. A nice solution would be eating half a bar and adding more fat like whipped cream or coconut butter. Further on, the bars contain IMO syrup that supposedly throws some people out of ketosis. So, having a Quest bar at hand is a very nice solution when extremely busy, but it shouldn’t be the only solution.

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Taking all this into consideration, I decided to make my own bars that would be more keto-friendly and would make a perfect on-the-go snack when all else fails. I invested into the IMO syrup, and made a batch of bars that seems to last forever. Half of the bars are still sitting in my refrigerator. I prefer natural food but still, find one of these to be a delicious sweet little snack in emergencies.

Some of the benefits of making your own homemade protein bars:

You choose what type of protein powder you throw in. This way you are in control of the ingredients and possibly avoid less preferred sweeteners.

You increase the amount of fat in the bar and decrease the amount of protein as you desire.

I’ll share recipes for two basic types of the homemade protein bars. One is based on macadamia and the other on coconut. You can use almond or any other nut butter and meal if you wish, but the macronutrient values will change accordingly. Add some dark chocolate bits or crushed nuts. Use your imagination.

This procedure applies to whichever version of protein bar you choose to make.

Get your ingredients ready. In a small bowl, combine flour (or meal) and protein powder. Have the tablespoon of butter at hand.

Pour the IMO syrup into a small microwave-safe bowl (or a ramekin).

In a microwave, nuke the syrup on high for 20 seconds.

Take the bowl with the hot syrup out of the microwave and immediately mix in the nut butter (use a spoon). While the mixture is still hot, mix in the flour-protein mix.

Feel free to add in some spices at this point. I love adding ½ tsp. of matcha green tea powder, especially with the coconut version.

The mixture will probably be crumbly and should also be sticky. Put it on a kitchen foil, cover it with more foil, and use your hands to shape one or two bars.

If you desire, add some dark chocolate bits or crushed nuts.

Place the bars in the fridge. You can eat one straight away or microwave it for 20 seconds (in this case it will inflate a bit and get soft. You can add some whipped cream, and eat the bar as a dessert).

Nutritional and medical disclaimer

Please note that I am not a nutritional or medical professional. I do not give out any medical advice. I only share my own experience on this blog and encourage you to consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. The nutritional information provided for my recipes are estimates. Please calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. None of the recipes I post are meant to be used by any specific clinical population. The ingredients in my recipes do not affect my glucose levels or cause any allergic reactions to me. You should use my recipes and shared experience at your discretion. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained on this website.

3 Comments

Do you know what imo syrup is? Do you know what changes a microwave has on nutrients? There are too many unknowns there. It is a common misstep on the keto path. Part desperation, part ignorance. One is better off having a little raw sugar, dark chocolate, quality honey, etc. and exercising to burn it off. The more you do, the more carbs one can afford.

Folwart, thank you for pointing out some of the concerns that you (and me) share with lots of individuals out there.

IMO syrup stands for IsoMalto-Oligosaccharides syrup that is, in short, made out of starch. It is not a natural ingredient, nor it is calorie or carb-free. Probably, each person digests it somehow differently, depending on many factors. Same goes for protein powders. While this recipe includes a considerable amount of IMO syrup, it does not intend to encourage readers to use it excessively. It does, however, offer an alternative option for commercial protein bars. Another possibility is also a bag of chips at a supermarket. Everyone decides for themselves. As for the alternatives you are offering, I couldn’t agree more. Now and then I do indulge in bits of either quality chocolate or honey, or such, just like I occasionally use IMO syrup in a dessert or a bar, mainly because of its gluing properties. But overdoing it is not an option here.

As for microwave effects on nutrients, I just recently wrote an article about pros and cons, standing on scientific research. It will be published soon. Writing it, I couldn’t find any sound scientific research that would support the somewhat popular belief that microwaving is unhealthy in any way. If you find such research, please do share.

Anyhow, I strongly support an individual’s thoughtfulness and criticism of what they are being sold and what and how much of certain something they consume.